Jam and Pickled Plums

I'm having a great holiday so far, and have been keeping myself busy. Although, not often, there are times when I'm left alone with my thoughts, and I am forced to think about things I don't want to think about. Last night was one of those times which made me feel pretty depressed, and it didn't help that I had to go in to work the next day, to a job where the dislikes outweigh the likes.

But one of the teachers at work, who's an absolute dear, brightened up my day. He's been honing his skills in jam-making in anticipation of the day he will retire and open his own bakery, and he's been pickling plums with his SEN students. I got to try the pickled plums on rice, traditional Japanese fare that's perceived as a patriotic food because of it's resemblance to the national flag (mentally remove the nori from my picture). I was also gifted with more of the pickled plums, and a jar each of plum jam and blueberry jam ;)